Wavertree Lock Up House

Overview

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Overview

Nation   England

County   Lancashire

Location   Childwall Road  Wavertree

Map location   exact or closely approximate

Year opened   1796

Year closed   c.1840

Century of Operation   1700-1799, 1800-1899

Building Type   Lock-Up

Remarks   Wavertree Society arranges for this lock-up to be opened for members of the public to visit during Heritage Open Weekend in September.

Descriptions

'This is a small octagon building, containing but one cell, situated quite by itself on a piece of open ground by the road side. In wet weather the land about it is quite a marsh, and the cell is in consequence damp. The wet soaks in also through the ceiling of the cell. Over the cell is a room, to which there is now no access whatever, the entrance having been bricked up some time ago, in consequence of an escape by means of this entrance. The lock up house belongs to the township, but it under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. The cell is 13 1/2 feet wide, and 8 feet high ... The cell is dark. There is an open fire place, but the police inspector who has charge of the lock up stated that it was never used. The chimney to this fire place is the only provision for ventilation. The door does not fit well, and persons on the outside can converse with prisoners ... The guard bed was lately broken, and cannot now be used; and there is nothing but loose straw for the bedding.'

Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain IV. Northern District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.361), p.82

'Wavertree's octagonal Lock-up was built of local yellow sandstone in 1796, at the expense of the villagers. ... Originally the Lock-up had a flattish roof, and it was not unknown for friends of the prisoners to hide behind the parapet while knocking a hole in the roof! A small stove was installed to keep the prisoners warm, and they were supplied with food and water, but otherwise there were few home comforts. It is said that cholera victims were dumped there to isolate them from the rest of the village; and in the 1840s the Lock-up served as temporary accommodation for destitute Irish families trekking out from Liverpool into the surrounding countryside. By this time the Lock-up was no longer needed for its original purpose, as a proper Police Station had opened in the High Street (on the site of the present Wavertree Gardens flats). The building gradually fell into decay, until in 1868 its owners the Wavertree Local Board of Health contemplated demolition.'

Mike Chitty (Wavertree Society), 'Wavertree Lock-up', Mersey Times, BBC Website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/mersey_times/issue_01/lock_up.shtml)

Featured Images

  • ExteriorPhoto © Sue Adair (cc-by-sa/2.0)

SOURCES

    Inspectors of Prisons of Great Britain IV. Northern District, Thirteenth Report (Parl. Papers, 1847-8, XXXVI.361), p.82
  • Roy's Blog, 'MERSEYSIDE. Lock-ups at Everton and Wavertree.' (06 April 2013)

  • http://roys-roy.blogspot.com/2013/04/lock-ups-at-everton-and-wavertree-in.html
  • Mike Chitty (Wavertree Society), 'Wavertree Lock-up', Mersey Times, BBC Website

  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/mersey_times/issue_01/lock_up.shtml

ARCHIVES

Archive name: Liverpool Record Office

Catalogue ref: 352 ENG/2/20

Collection:

Description: Old Lock-Up, Wavertree, photograph.

Dates: 1897


Comments

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